Grommet snap fastening device

ABSTRACT

A grommet snap fastening device for fastening leather, fabrics, and sheet-like materials including a male component and a female component. Each of the male and female components include upper and lower elements. The upper and lower elements of each of the male and female components are secured to one another, with the leather, fabrics, or sheet-like materials located between the upper and lower elements of each component. A flexible annular compression ring having spring properties is located between the upper and lower female elements, and a groove is located upon the upper male element. The male component is detachably secured within the female component by engagement of the flexible compression ring with the groove.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to a novel fastening device for fastening leather, fabrics, and sheet-like materials. In particular, the present invention relates to a grommet snap fastening device for fastening leather, fabrics, and sheet-like materials which allows for convenient and simple operation, verification of secure engagement by sight, and which is suitable for use in various consumer products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many devices have been proposed for fastening leather, fabrics, and sheet-like materials. One widely-used device is a snap fastener that includes a male element and a female component each attached to materials desired to be fastened together by joining the male and female components. The snap fasteners may be mechanical or magnetic. Mechanical snap fasteners have an interference fit between the male and female components. Magnetic snap fasteners use magnetic force to engage the male and female components.

Existing snap fasteners may incorporate a flexible ring which is secured to the female element and which fits around the male component to secure the fastener. Traditionally, such a flexible ring is secured within the female component of the fastener by crimping or bending the female component to form a socket, or by incorporation of the ring into the female component. Additionally, the traditional snap fastener configurations described above do not allow for verification of secure engagement of the male and female components by sight.

There remains a need for fastening devices which allow for convenient operation, ease of construction and assembly, verification of secure engagement, and which have suitable safety, ergonomic, and aesthetic properties for incorporation into various consumer applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a novel fastening device comprising a male component including a first or upper male element secured to a second or lower male element, and a female component including a first or upper female element secured to a second or lower female element. A flexible annular compression ring having spring properties is located between the upper and lower female elements. A first sheet of material is located between the upper and lower elements of the male component, and a second sheet of material is located between the upper and lower elements of the female component. A groove is located upon the upper male element. The male component is detachably secured within the female component by engagement of the flexible compression ring with the groove. The terms “upper” and “lower” are, of course, merely relative positions.

The lower male element and the upper male element may be joined by an interference fit between a shaft of the lower male element and a hole of the upper male element, or may screw together, and the lower female element and the upper female element may optionally be joined by an interference fit between a body of the lower female element and a hole in the upper female element, or may screw together.

The female component may include an aperture to permit sight of the male component upon engagement of the flexible compression ring with the groove, and the female component may include a ridge formed on an outer periphery for securing the second material.

The present invention is further directed to a method of detachably securing two sheets of material using a fastener, comprising the steps of joining a lower male element and an upper male element to form a male component, and joining a lower female element and an upper female element to form a female component. A first sheet of material is located between the lower male element and the upper male element, and a second sheet of material is located between the lower female element and the upper female element. A compression ring is located between the lower and upper female elements and a groove is located on the upper male element.

The lower male element and the upper male element may be joined by an interference fit between a shaft of the lower male element and a hole of the upper male element, and the lower female element and the upper female element may be joined by an interference fit between a body of the lower female element and a hole in the upper female element. The male component is extended into the female component until the male and female components engage at the compression ring and the groove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention in an assembled state.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the female component of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the male component of the male element of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the annular compression ring of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, examples of which are also provided in the following description. Exemplary embodiments of this invention are described in detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not particularly important to an understanding of the invention may not be shown for the sake of clarity.

Furthermore, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments described below and that various changes and modifications thereof may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims. In addition, improvements and modifications which may become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims are deemed within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The present invention is directed to a novel grommet snap fastening device for fastening leather, fabrics, and sheet-like materials. The device comprises a male component and a female component. The male and female components are joined to one another to complete the fastener and to fasten the leather, fabric, or sheet-like material. Each of the male and the female components comprises a subassembly of upper and lower elements.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of grommet snap fastener 10 in an assembled state. FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of embodiments of the male and female elements of the fastener, respectively. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3. The structure and assembly of the components of a preferred embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The terms “lower” and “upper” as used below in the present application are used solely for descriptive purposes, and should not be read or construed as imposing any structural limitations upon the orientation of the invention.

Male component 12 comprises lower male element 20 and upper male element 30. Lower male element 20 includes an approximately cylindrical shaft 22 and an approximately cylindrical base 24 located coaxially with the shaft 22.

Upper male element 30 includes an approximately cylindrical body 31, a flange 38 attached to the body 31, and an approximately cylindrical hole 32 formed coaxially with the body 31. Chamfer 39 is located upon an edge formed by intersection of a surface of body 31 and an upper surface of upper male element 30. Upper male element 30 also includes a groove 34 around the circumference of body 31, the groove having an arcuate cross-section.

In an alternate embodiment, groove 34 may have a hemispherical, rectangular, or “v-shaped” cross-section. Additionally, more than one groove 34 may optionally be included.

Male component 12 is formed by attaching lower male element 20 and upper male element 30 by inserting shaft 22 within hole 32. In a preferred embodiment, shaft 22 and hole 32 are dimensioned to provide an interference or force fit.

In alternative embodiments, adhesive, threads, set screws, or other suitable attachment mechanism may optionally be utilized independently or in conjunction with the above-described interference fit to secure lower male element 20 to upper male element 30.

Chamfer 39 is formed along an edge formed by intersection of hole 32 and a lower surface of upper male element 30, to facilitate alignment and insertion of shaft 22 within hole 32.

Upon alignment, shaft 22 may be inserted within hole 32 by use of a set of upper and lower grommet dies, whereby lower male element 20 and upper male element 30 may each be placed within a die and force applied to one or both dies to perform the insertion and interference fit described above.

In a preferred embodiment, shaft 22 is positioned within an opening formed in fabric 71 prior to attachment of lower male component 20 to upper male component 30, such that fabric 71 is securely held between an upper surface of base 24 and a lower surface of flange 38.

Female component 14 includes at least lower female component 40, upper female component 50, and compression ring 60.

Lower female component 40 includes central element 41, central hole 44, and flange 46. Ridge 47 is located at an outer edge of flange 46. Round 42 is located at an edge formed by intersection of an inner surface of central hole 44 and a lower surface of flange 46.

The diameter of central hole 44 may vary along the axis of central hole 44, such that the diameter may be larger at an intersection of central hole 44 and a lower surface of flange 46 than at an opposite end of central hole 44.

Upper female component 50 includes central hole 52 and flange portion 58. An inner flange 54 is also provided on upper female component 50, inner flange 54 being sized such that a spring stop 55 and an inner hole 56 are defined. Notch 59 is formed in central hole 52 adjacent to a lower surface of upper female component 50. Chamfer 57 is formed at an intersection of an upper and an outer surface of upper female component 50.

In a preferred embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 5, compression ring 60 is annular or circular, and has an approximately circular cross-section. Compression ring 60 is preferably constructed of a material having spring properties, such as metal or another suitable material having spring properties.

Compression ring 60 may be formed as a solid ring without a gap, or alternatively may be formed with a gap to facilitate expansion and contraction.

Female component 14 is formed by inserting central element 41 of lower female element 40 within central hole 52 of upper female component 50, with compression ring 60 being located the lower and upper female elements. Compression ring 60 is inserted into upper female element central hole 52, and in contact with spring stop 55, prior to assembly of lower female component 40 and upper female component 50.

In a preferred embodiment, central element 41 and central hole 52 are dimensioned to provide an interference or force fit. In an alternative embodiment, adhesive, threads, set screws, or another suitable attachment mechanism may be optionally utilized, independently or in conjunction with the above-described interference fit.

Insertion of lower female element 40 within central hole 52 is facilitated by notch 59, which facilitates alignment and positioning of lower female element 40 and upper female component 50 for assembly.

Upon assembly of female component 14, compression ring 60 is therefore held in place by a surface of upper female element central hole 52, a surface of spring stop 55, and an upper surface of lower female element central element 41.

In an alternative embodiment, multiple compression rings may be utilized, and the multiple compression rings may be identical or may have differing dimensions and/or spring properties.

Upon alignment, central element 41 of lower female element 40 may be inserted within central hole 52 of upper female component 50 by use of a set of upper and lower grommet dies, whereby each of the upper and lower female components may each be placed within a die and force applied to one or both dies to perform the insertion and interference fit described above.

In a preferred embodiment, upper female element 58 is positioned within an opening formed in fabric 70 prior to attachment with lower female component 40, such that fabric 70 is securely held by compression between a lower surface of upper female component flange 58 and an upper surface of lower female component flange 46.

In a preferred embodiment, ridge 47 acts to assist positioning of fabric 70 to upper female component 14. In alternative embodiments multiple ridges having identical or dissimilar geometry may be included to assist in affixing female component 14 to fabric 70.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, assembled male component 12 and female component 14 may be fastened by inserting shaft 31 into central hole 44 such that compression ring 60 is located within groove 34.

In a preferred embodiment, upon insertion of shaft 31 into central hole 44, chamfer 36 contacts compression ring 60 and acts to expand and guide compression ring 60 over shaft 31 and into groove 34.

In a preferred embodiment, upon joining female component 14 and male component 12, an upper surface of upper male element 30 is visible through upper female element central hole 56. In a preferred embodiment, the upper surfaces of upper male element 30 and upper female element 50 may be approximately aligned.

In an alternative embodiment, body 31, groove 34, lower female element central element 41, and upper female element 58 may be dimensioned to change the relative positions of the upper surface of upper male element 30 and upper female element 50 upon fastening.

Upon fastening, spring properties of compression ring 60 act upon the surface of groove 34 to locate and maintain the relative positions of male component 12 and female component 14, thereby fastening fabric 71 to fabric 70 securely and conveniently.

What has been illustrated and described herein is a grommet snap fastening device. While the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. In particular, the foregoing specification and embodiments are intended to be illustrative and are not to be taken as limiting. Thus, alternatives, such as structural or mechanical equivalents and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. Accordingly, such alternatives, changes, and modifications are to be considered as forming a part of the present invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A fastening device, comprising: a male component including a first male element secured to a second male element; a female component including a first female element secured to a second female element; a flexible compression ring having spring properties located between the first and second female elements; and a groove located on the first male element, wherein a first sheet of material may be located and held between the first and second elements of the female component, a second sheet of material may be located and held between the first and second elements of the male component; and the male component may be detachably secured within the female component by engagement of the flexible compression ring with the groove.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: the second male element includes a shaft and the first male element includes a hole, and the first male element and the second male element are joined by an interference fit between the shaft and the hole.
 3. The device of claim 1, further comprising: the first female element includes a body and the second female element includes a hole, and the first female element and the second female element are joined by an interference fit between the body and the hole.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the female component further comprises an aperture which permits viewing of the male component when the flexible compression ring is engaged with the groove.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the female component further comprises a ridge formed on an outer periphery for securing a sheet of material.
 6. A method of detachably securing two sheets of material by a fastener, comprising the steps of: joining a lower male element and an upper male element to form a male component with a first sheet of material located between the lower male element and the upper male element; joining a lower female element and an upper female element to form a female component with a second sheet of material located between the lower female element and the upper female element; locating an annular compression ring between the lower and upper female elements of the female component; locating a groove on the upper male element; and extending the male component into the annular compression ring until the female and male components engage at the groove and the compression ring. 